…angry senators summon Information Minister over comment

The row between the Senate and Minister of Information and Communication, Labaran Maku, over alleged uncomplimentary remarks by Maku may be far from over.

Yesterday, the Upper legislative chamber summoned Maku to appear before it on Tuesday, September 25, 2012 to offer explanations regarding some comments credited to him.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, issued the summons in a letter addressed to Maku.

The letter entitled “Re: Invitation to a meeting with the Committee” was dated September 20, 2012.

It reads in part: “You are invited to a meeting with the Committee on a crucial national issue. Honourable Minister, please treat as urgent.”

Insiders told our correspondents that “the way and manner Maku described Senate resolutions as a mere advice which is not binding on the President” was unbecoming of the minister.

The Senate and the Presidency have been at daggers drawn over non-implementation of Senate resolutions.

Maku was reported to have told journalists that the resolution of the Senate urging President Goodluck Jonathan to take steps to halt all processes leading to the printing and issuing of N5000 banknote was not binding on President Jonathan.

Only on Thursday, the Senate descended on Maku and only fell short of telling him to shut up, especially because he is not elected.

The upper chamber expressed anger that an unelected Information Minister could have the audacity to declare its resolutions as a mere advice President Jonathan could choose to ignore.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekwweremadu, who took on Maku on the floor of the Senate, came short of telling the Information Minister to shut up because he is a mere appointee of the President.

Ekweremadu said the Senate, indeed the National Assembly, did not need the Information Minister to tell them that their resolutions are not binding, “just as we don’t need to remind him that he was not elected.”

He said there was no doubt that anybody who chooses to ignore the resolutions of the Senate does so at the expense of good governance.

He noted that although the resolutions of the Senate are not binding, the positions taken by senators on issues are usually well thought out, indepth and borne out of patriotism.

He said the time had come for President Jonathan to dust and implement the resolutions of the Senate on the Bureau for Public Enterprise.

According to him, “if there are very fat buttocks that are sitting on it, he (President) should use the executive powers to push them out and get the reports implemented in the overall interest of this country.”

He said: “There is a huge gap and anything to bridge this gap is helpful. Namely the response from the Minister of Information on our resolutions concerning the N5000 notes, that our resolutions are not binding.

“I don’t think we need the Minister of Information or any other minister to tell us that our resolutions are not binding, just as we don’t need to remind him that he was not elected.

“We know that our resolutions are not binding but the positions we take in this Senate, especially regarding the resolutions, were all well thought out. They are borne out patriotism. They are well researched and they are an amalgamation of the views of very responsible Nigerians.

“To that extent, they are very persuasive and any person who is ignoring the resolutions of this Senate is doing so at the expense of good governance and we cannot encourage such a thing.

“I believe this is the opportunity for Mr. President to go and look for the resolutions of the Senate regarding the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) investigations.

“If there are very fat buttocks that are sitting on it, he should use the executive powers to push them out and get the reports implemented in the overall interest of this country.”

The Infomation Minister got what he deserved from the Senate. A mere appointee! I hope he understands and drops his exuberance.

Moses Olukayode

The recent comment from the information Minister is just too bad and does not reflect the views of Nigeria.
The Minister is working for Nigerian and if he think that by saying anything he likes he might loss his job soon.

Ebenezer

I have never seen anything good in the Information Minister and i wonder why the president is still keeping him.I score him low in performance rate. He shpould either be re positioned to another ministry or sacked or better still re-appointed as a Special Adviser if need be to retain him by all means.I advise him to be diplomatic in his actions,speech and view as thereb would always be a ‘tommorow’ after ‘today’.

Egwu

The Senate arrived at her resolution concerning the N5000 note by taking the feelings of majority of Nigerians on the subject matter into consideration. Yet Maku said the resolution of the Senate was not binding and of no significant consequence. What Maku is saying to Nigerians is that this government would not give a damn about the feeling and concern of the citizens while formulating or implementing policy. Could there be a better way to describe bad governance? Those appointed or elected to public office ought to know that they are there to serve the nation and the people. In the course of doing his job as Minister, Maku should always endeavor to strike a balance between pandering to the whimps of his principal and recognizing that the people deserve quality service through good governance.

Logos Jacob

“….The letter entitled “Re: Invitation to a meeting with the Committee” was dated September 20,2012…..”
Illiterate or semi-literate Chairman, Senate Committee on information, Media and Public Affairs, what is the ‘Re’ doing in the title of your letter? Was a letter of invitation on the matter written to him before this one? If not, too bad. This usage of Re means ‘Concerning’ or ‘With reference to’. Please check your dico.

Lil

Mr info minister have always been so exoberant in his conduct and speeches. Now he has bite more than he can chew. He thought he can get away this time around just as he runs his mouth anyhow during the subsidy removal uprising.